‘Because if you love someone, you set them up to be used against you. You make them a target for your enemies. And if you lose them it breaks you. There, I’ve said it.’

‘So,’ said Grim carefully, ‘that was only once? Back to being just friends?’

‘No. Yes. I don’t know. And that makes me angry. And that isn’t fair. I think you may be too good for me, that’s the truth.’

‘Me?’ he said. ‘Nah. That’s rubbish. If you want it to be just friends, all right. Only . . . seems to me your argument’s got a great big hole in it.’

‘Oh? And what’s that?’

‘Remember what happened at Wolf Glen? You setting aside the mission you’d been living for since the lockup so you could rush up there and save me? You know I’d do the same for you any day. So maybe it’s too late for that argument. Don’t you think?’

And of course, he was right. Even before that night, what was between us had been far more than simple friendship. It had already grown into the kind of bond I had thought never to form again. Unless I decided to turn my back on him and walk away, or send him into his own exile and break both our hearts, we were a pair forever. And if that was so, there seemed no reason not to enjoy everything that pairing had to offer.

‘Oh, gods,’ I said, putting my hands up to my face.

‘You laughing or crying?’ His voice was gentle.

‘Both,’ I said. ‘This is going to take a bit of getting used to.’ I brought my hands down and surveyed the interior of our house, cosy, modest, smallish, and rather full, what with the two narrow shelf beds, the hearth, the dog, the table and benches, the shelves holding the paraphernalia of my craft. ‘We could do with a bigger bed. Only where would we put it?’

‘Ah,’ said Grim, smiling. ‘Had a thought about that. You know that silver I earned up at Wolf Glen? I was thinking of making a change here, building on another room. For your work. If you wanted it. Thought I’d earn the funds first and then ask you. There’ll be no more from Tóla, that’s plain. But there’s enough for the materials, and I can do the work. What do you think?’

‘I think yes. Especially if you can make a bed too.’

‘Won’t be grand like that one we slept in. But big, yes, I can do that. And comfortable.’

‘Good,’ I said. ‘Meanwhile we’ll have to make do with one of these. Could be a squeeze. But I’m sure we’ll manage.’

His grin was like a flash of sunlight on a dark day. It made my breath catch.